The operation of electrical and electronic systems such as those of the data processing field, often require the interconnection of spaced-apart, though relatively proximate, equipments housed in respective cabinets. In order to provide EMI/RFI protection, and to meet the recently imposed FCC emission control requirements, the electrical conductors carrying signal information must be enclosed within a conduit formed for example of at least one layer of a tinned braid of copper clad steel wire. A neoprene rubber jacket, or the like, may be placed over the latter for insulation and abrasion resistance. The cable, thus formed, exhibits flexibility in bending along its longitudinal axis, but extreme torsional rigidity. Connector mounting assemblies are permanently affixed to opposite extremities of the cable. The connectors themselves generally engage threaded nuts which form part of the assemblies and thus become integral rigid parts thereof. The electrical conductors within the conduit are electrically connected to contact elements within the connectors.
The foregoing rigid design may result in significant operational problems. Consider the necessity of electrically linking two equipments, spaced for example, a few feet apart. Each of the equipments includes a connector adapted to mate with a cable connector. The attachment of the cable and equipment connectors to each other requires the precise orientation thereof in order to insure electrical continuity for the signals being transmitted therethrough. Thus, with one end of the cable free, that is, unattached, the cable and a first connector at the other end, may be rotated as a unit about their longitudinal axes in order to achieve such orientation with the connector on a first piece of equipment, and attachment is readily accomplished. However, the joining of the second cable connector to the second piece of equipment presents a problem. Since the cable exhibits extreme torsional rigidity, any attempt to rotate the last mentioned cable connector to achieve such orientation, often results in either complete disconnection of the first cable connector, or a partial disconnection in which the contact elements or pins of the mating connectors become misaligned. This condition results in intermittent contact. The same operational problems may also occur if one of the two equipments linked by a cable of rigid design is physically moved relative to the other.
What is required is a connector mounting assembly which will compensate for the torsional inflexibility of the cable conduit and allow the cable connector attached thereto to be rotated through a prescribed arc independently of the cable, so as to achieve the requirement attachment orientation. The mounting assembly of the present invention fills such a need, and may be directly substituted for the aforementioned rigid assembly.